This week, Blenheim Palace welcomes back the last of the Victories series tapestries from conservation. Following a decade-long process working alongside textile conservator Emma Telford, “The Surrender of Lille” tapestry can once again be enjoyed by visitors in the First State Room of Britain’s Greatest Palace.
The tapestry depicts the famous parley between Marlborough and the French Marshal Boufflers, which took place in October 1708. The first Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill, commissioned several sets of tapestries from the workshop of Judocus de Vos between 1707 and 1717. These included the ‘Victories’ set, which commemorates Marlborough’s victorious battles during the War of the Spanish Succession.
Carmen Alvarez, Collections and Conservation Manager, said, “We are so grateful to Emma for this unique conservation effort and are incredibly proud of the hard work, attention to detail and care completed behind the scenes over the last 10 years to be able to achieve such a historical moment for Blenheim Palace’s collection. This unique series was specifically made to be displayed at Blenheim Palace, with no replicas available anywhere else in the world.
“This achievement has only been possible thanks to all of our visitors and their donations, without whom we would not be able to protect our heritage.”
Conservation work on the Blenheim Palace tapestries, undertaken since 2012, has focused on ten historic pieces from the early 18th century, primarily from the Victories, Virtues, Art of War, and Alexander series.
Due to their shared age, materials, structure, and past alterations, such as reductions in width and professional reweaving, the tapestries presented similar conservation needs. The Victories series, in particular, showed more degradation due to the extensive use of silk in the upper sections.
Treatments included careful removal of linings and hanging mechanisms for safe transport to the studio, where surface and, where appropriate, wet cleaning was carried out following dye-fastness testing. Old repairs were assessed and generally left in place unless they distorted the design, such as unsightly slit stitching in the Alexander tapestry, which was removed and redone.
Once cleaned, the tapestries received full stitched support according to the best conservation practices. This involved reinforcing with Belgian linen scrim, re-sewing of slits, re-warping holes, and couching in appropriate wool and cotton threads to stabilise the weft. Sections were carefully worked to maintain the tapestry’s structure and flexibility.
The final stage included neat finishing, applying new cotton linings secured with lock stitches for even distribution, and fitting Velcro strips along the top and sides to facilitate secure and balanced rehanging. This meticulous, consistent approach ensures the tapestries’ structural integrity and visual presentation are preserved for future display.
Emma Telford, textile conservator, said, “It’s been a great privilege to work on this unique set of tapestries over the last 12 years. The Victories tapestries are an integral part of the Blenheim Palace interior aesthetic, and they have now been conserved and safeguarded for future generations to enjoy in their original location, as they have been for over 300 years.
“Great care is taken to ensure appropriate light levels and other environmental controls, which, together with the cleaning and support treatment I have carried out, will help to preserve these wonderful tapestries for visitors over the next 300 years.”
Admission to see the returned “The Surrender of Lille” tapestry in the First State Room is included with a valid Palace & Gardens Ticket or Palace and Play Pass, which grants access to both Blenheim Palace and Adventure Play.
For opening times, ticketing and more information, visit www.blenheimpalace.com.
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